As part of its continued commitment to sustainable packaging, Naturipe Farms is adding the How2Recycle label to its packaging. This label educates consumers on proper recycling practices and where to go if they need to find information specific to their municipality.

The makers of the Wholly brand, home of Wholly Avocado and Wholly Guacamole, America’s No. 1 refrigerated guacamole, are making it more convenient than ever for people to get their daily dose of avocado with the launch of Wholly Avocado Diced Avocado and single-serve Smashed Avocado products. These innovations are paving the way for a new category of ready-to-eat avocado under the Wholly Avocado brand. Avocado lovers can now enjoy perfectly ripe and preservative free pre-diced and smashed avocado anytime.

Bard Valley Natural Delights is kicking off its date season with a new premium product offering to include an eight-count and 16-count pack of dark chocolate-covered Medjool dates with sea salt. The product launch coincides with the start of the date season, which begins in August. Both package sizes will begin shipping in September to be readily available for the holiday season as a limited edition with ample supply for consumer demand.

Schnuck Markets Inc. announced that EatWell, a natural food store by Schnucks, will open its first store Wednesday, June 24. In May, the company announced the 42,000-square-foot former Lucky’s store will focus on consumers prioritizing health and wellness, natural foods and the occasional splurge. The store has undergone an extensive remodel ahead of opening as EatWell. A ribbon-cutting ceremony is being planned to commemorate the launch of Schnucks new store format.

Following the success of its Organic Ridged Plantain Chips, Barnana, a pioneer in the natural food space for its unique upcycled banana and plantain-based snacks, will be releasing its newest product line, Plantain Tortilla Chips.

The new chips will hit West Coast markets this month, online via the “shop” page on Barnana.com, and on Amazon beginning July 1, with an expected national retail distribution by early fall.

A handful of the nation’s top produce managers agreed that in-store sampling is one of the best ways to increase sales in the produce department, especially when dealing with a newer item.

Five produce managers, each of whom is being honored this week by the United Fresh Produce Association, continually touted the value of sampling when discussing several different merchandising techniques during a “Retail Insights” webinar on Tuesday, June 16 as part of the United Fresh 2020 LIVE virtual convention.